Fukai Mori: Deep Forest
by chibighost
Summary: After everything is over, Kagome returns to the life she lead before Inuyasha, before Sango, before Miroku, before Shippou, before her adventures. What she doesn't realize is how famous the Shikon no Tama is...in her time. Kagome/Inuyasha
1. Dreams

**author:chibighost  
  
title: Fukai Mori   
  
disclaimer: characters in Inuyasha don't belong to me. I merely write for my own enjoyment and others who wish to read my fics.**  
  
Ok, the story. The reason that I wrote this story in the first place [well, ok, the first paragraph to be honest] was to practice for the wordmaster test. I did it with my friend who sits in front of me in language arts [oh, and she happens to be Fluffy fan--and a bloodthirsty one at that ^-^]. During winter break, I read a lot of fanfics. Well, not that much, I guess, but it seemed like a long time to the poor people trying to call and getting a busy phone line [I seriously need cable internet...so not fair...grr--whoa, starting to act like a hanyou there! ^-^;;;] Anyway, when I get lonely, [and boy was I alone...-sighs-] I started to...well...talk to myself [an odd little habit of mine]. So I says to myself, "Aimi-chan," [my nickname--it has nothing to do with a char who shares the same name as me another one of my stories] "why don't you make this little paragraph into a fic?" So, here it is!  
  


[these are my little comments]  
  
_words italisized are thoughts_  
  
-these represent the actions of yours truly-  
  
**Fukai Mori : Chapter One**

  
  
  
He was often haunted by those fleeting dreams; they stirred something in him every time they passed through his mind during the night. Although he had no idea what they meant, he just couldn't brush off the lingering feeling of familiarity when he experienced them. The dreams--or nightmares since they were often full of violent encounters that ended in bloodshed--seemed to focus on one particular time in the past--the feudal era of Japan.   
  
Even though he'd never been particularly fond of history, the one section he recalled from his relatively short schooling period was the feudal era--the age when demons were said to roam unbridled in wild forests that were Japan. It seemed to beckon him, and he had somehow formed the lunatic idea that the textbook was part of some greater existence from the past who was eager to share the secrets of the past with him. He had come to the conclusion that he had finally cracked, and was absolutely positive that he was going completely insane. The thought wasn't a pleasant one, but it was the only excuse that his stressed mind could form to ward off the urge to consume every bit of knowledge in that section--which in his opinion, was crazy enough by itself and as far as he was concerned, extremely unhealthy. Still, even after that, the thought of demons roaming free brought tingling sensations to his skin.   
  
And then the dreams had started. They were impossible, preposterous, and in his personal opinion--outright ludicrous. [not that his vocabulary allowed him to think so, anyway, it was along those lines] They caused his nights to be haunted by kitsune who could change into anything in an instant, soothe-talking perverted monks who couldn't keep their hands to themselves, demon exterminators who had fire-breathing cat demons for pets, elegantly clothed youkai wielding swords with faces marked by indigo markings, a mystical jewel split into tiny pieces, a desperate search to keep them away from evil demons in [could he believe it? it was so weird] monkey suits, devoted toad demons with staffs that screamed bloody murder, swords created from giant fangs, death conquered but life stolen, and what haunted him the most--beautiful raven haired priestesses from another world with fiery personalities to match. Then, lastly, a hanyou clad in clothes made of fire rat--running barefoot with remarkable speed through a dense forest untouched by man, a rosary around his neck, long silver hair reaching past his shoulder, needle sharp nails more akin to claws, two sharp fangs, and possessing a countenance eerily similar to his own.   
  
For some reason, the priestess, he just couldn't get her out of his mind. Once the dreams started, he saw her at every turn in his mind's eye. She seemed to follow him where ever he went--like a ghost or a shadow. It was strange, her presence never left him uncomfortable; rather, it soothed him. The one thing that bothered him was the feeling that he once knew her and wanted to again.   
  
Unfortunately, this particular night, the thief was not spared from his nightmares. Shifting into a sitting position on the branch he was perched comfortably on, the young bandit known as Inuyasha attempted to cure his insomnia by staring at the stars above. He had always preferred it to be this way. Alone and out in nature-- even if in this case "nature" happened to be a park in the middle of a Tokyo suburb. Still, he was glad that the park was rather heavily dotted with trees and there wasn't anyone out at this time to bother his peace or report him to those pesky policemen.   
  
Inuyasha found himself strangely attracted to this park. When he first stepped onto the grass, those dreams in his head burst into life. It was like watching a previously black and white movie being flooded with color. As he had slipped through the shadows around the trees, Inuyasha had come across a sign containing some history on the park. Normally, he wouldn't have paid it more than a passing glance, but something had caught his eye. In the middle of the paragraph, in neat and clear kanji, it had read: "During the feudal era of Japan, this forest was called Inuyasha's Forest by the nearby villagers and said to have belonged to the hanyou, Inuyasha." It then went on to mention several warlords who later tried to colonize the forest but all disappeared mysteriously, as if someone was protecting it from harm. But Inuyasha saw and read none of it. His mind had lost its logical train of thought and his heart had stoppeds short in mid-"thump". [not that he had any logic to begin with, but hey!]   
  
Muttering a variety of colorful curses under his breath any mother would have fainted at the sound of, Inuyasha racked his brain, willing it to work properly for once in his cursed life. "Sheesh, it doesn't mean anything, you jerk." He reasoned with himself, unaware that he was talking to none other than...himself. "It's just a stupid name and a stupid coincidence." Despite that, something still tugged at his mind. Grumbling, the thief cursed. "Damn it! Of all names, why did I have to pick something rare and just out of the blue, like Inuyasha?" Still, he had to admit, as an orphan, he did pick his own name, and Inuyasha wasn't about to curse himself...yet. That called for more extreme and life-threathening situations.   
  
Remembering why he had come to this particular suburb in the first place, Inuyasha stood up, gazing out above the treetops to a certain shrine not far away. He was desperate to rid himself of those goddamned cursed nightmares. The bandit had heard of a jewel rumored to have mystical powers capable of curing any ailment imaginable. Although he'd never been one to place his trust in magic, Inuyasha was desperate; besides, it was always worth a try, right? Thus he had journeyed--mostly by foot--to the shrine where it was said to be gaurded by a priestess.   
  
_Feh. What can priestesses do anyway?_ The young thief Inuyasha thought to himself with a snort as he hopped down from the branch and onto the ground. Muttering a soft "thank-you" to Kami for the moonless night, [wow! Inu-chan said "thank you", and to a god too. -sigh- what is my fic coming to?] he began running toward the shrine, intent on snatching his prize.   
  


----

  
  
The young priestess fidgeted, trying her best to focus on her meditation--instead of the tempting smells wafting through the thin screen from the next room. The fact that the kitchen was located right next to her training room didn't help her at all. Unconciously, her nose twitched as the delicious smell of her mother's famous fish dish [ok, that...rhymed **and** alliterated] tickled her senses. Her mouth watered as Kagome Higurashi lost the battle with her mind and an image of the scrumptous meal just waiting for her to tuck into flooded into her mind.   
  
That was it, Kagome couldn't stand it anymore. She stood up, dusting the stray flakes of dust that had settled during her attempted meditation session. With a spring in her step, she slid open the door and burst into the kitchen. Allowing herself only one deep breath of the wonderful smell, the priestess began to quickly set the table. Kagome hurriedly put a china plate and bowl in each of the four places, laying a pair of chopsticks next to each.   
  
Mrs. Higurashi suddenly turned to her daughter. "Kagome, would you get your grandfather and Souta? Tell them it's dinner time."   
  
"Hai!" The teen called cheerfully, before slipping out of the kitchen and running up the stairs to her brother Souta's room. Although the door was closed, she didn't bother to knock, merely poked her head in and announced, "Souta, dinner time!" Kagome then turned and ran back down to the first floor to find her grandfather--who could usually be found examining some wierd artifact. However, as she passed a window, the priestess-in-training thought she heard something swish by outside. Curiousity getting the better of her, Kagome gazed out into the summer night; outside, it was almost completely still, only the leaves rustled as a warm zephyr swept by. _I must be hearing things..._ Kagome determined, staring up at the moonless sky above, the fish and dinner utterly forgotten as the chilling beauty of the inky heavens hit her.   
  
_Moonless..._ The word stirred memories from before. The teenage girl suddenly remembered a certain hanyou from her travels into the feudal era. The memory stirred feelings the priestess thought she had buried deep within her heart. _Inuyasha..._ Kagome recalled that he used to turn ningen on the moonless night of every month. _...I wonder what happened to him..._ "Inuyasha..." she whispered, before remembering her mother's request and rushing off to find her grandfather.   
  


----

  
  
The bandit crouched under the window, listening with intense longing to the smells and sounds of dinner being prepared inside the house. Inuyasha just couldn't resist a sigh as he imagined the possible things that could be going on on the other side of the wall. How he wished he could be part of his imagined sene. What he wouldn't give to have a family, a real family. Then, before he knew what he was doing, he was sitting up and staring into the house. A warm feeling touched his heart. The thief found that he actually felt a bit remorseful--he almost didn't want to steal from them--almost, but not quite. Quickly remembering the reason he was there in the first place, Inuyasha decided to stop wishing before his brain could form the crazy idea to be **nice** to these people. At the thought, Inuyasha couldn't help but shudder.   
  
For some reason though, he just couldn't seem to tear himself away. _Just one more minute, _he thought to himself, _one more minute, and I'll turn away and steal that damn jewel while they're eating._ Suddenly, Inuyasha's sensitive ears heard the sound of footsteps. He barely had time to slip into some nearby bushes before they came even closer. A wince crossed his face when he heard a _swish_ as he dove into the vegetation in a hurry.   
  
He watched from the safety of his living shelter as a girl walked up the window he had been staring through a split second ago. He watched as a frown crossed her face and as she looked out through the open window--obviously searching for something..._or someone, _he chided himself. He watched as she seemed to lose herself as she gazed at the moonless sky above. And he watched--startled--for moments long after she was gone, as a name fell from her lips and into the night. _Inuyasha..._  
  
  
  
Glossary  
  
[i'll bet that you already know what these mean...but just in case, these are some Japanese terms used. i don't take Japanese, so it any of these are incorrect, i would really appreciate it if you told me--so I won't be embarrassed in the future ^.^]   
  
kitsune: fox   
  
youkai: demon   
  
hanyou: half demon...i think   
  
ningen: i think that's how you spell human   
**[author's notes: gomen! that was really short, I know, but it seemed like a good place to stop. If I continued, it just...didn't seem to flow? erm...well...the next chapter should be longer! oh yeah, could someone tell me if Inuyasha says "feh" or "keh"? I see both ways in fics and i'm sure which one he really say…if you can tell me, it would great! arigato!]**  
  



	2. Happenings

**author:chibighost  
  
title: Fukai Mori   
  
disclaimer: characters in Inuyasha don't belong to me. I merely write for my own enjoyment and others who wish to read my fics.**  
  
Thanks so much to tsunami-chan, Angel-Fergie, and ^-^Miko^-^ for reviewing! It's greatly appreciated and helps to boost this writer's rather low moral right now! Arigato!  
  
tsunami-chan: -blushes- thanks! we'll, here's the next chapter...anyway, about your questions: I'd tell you, but that just wouldn't as interesting if I did, right? ^-^ As for the last question...I'm not sure myself. I'll work out the details!  
  
Angel-Fergie: I think I'll take your advice about writing some more...I used to write a lot more than I do now, but this year has been really busy. Still...here it is! Chapter two!  
  
^-^Miko^-^: here's your request!  
  


[these are my little comments]  
  
_words italisized are thoughts_  
  
-these represent the actions of yours truly-  
  
[-:-^-:-]_any paragraph/section between two of these is and italisized is a flashback_[-:-^-:-]  
**Fukai Mori : Chapter Two**

  
  
Two and a half hours later found Inuyasha still crouched on his hunches near the window, his muscles stiff. A frown of disgust crossed his features. He had been waiting there for the family inside to finish their little dinner, although now it looked like it was going to last **another** two and a half hours. A low growl vibrating at the back of his throat, Inuyasha was about to give up on them. After all, he had never been one for patience.   
  
_Sheesh who knew these idiots could take so long on something like dinner._ The noble bandit proclaimed to himself, accompaning this remark with a snort.   
  
Suddenly..._ggrrrooowlll..._   
  
The poor thief glared down at his stomach, a picture of outrage etched on his face; if he wasn't careful, his own stomach would be his undoing. Right on cue, Inuyasha's rebelious organ utter an earth shaking **_gggwwwrrrooowwlll..._**. Praying desperately to Kami-sama, Inuyasha hoped that the people in the shrine didn't hear it--although, on second thought, he decided it would take a near miracle. However, it seemed as if Kami-sama was indeed looking down on him that night, for as the bandit crouched--poised to spring--no one came. Letting out a long breath that Inuyasha wasn't aware he was holding, or capable of, for that matter, the would-be thief slumped down against the wall.   
  
"Damn you stomach..." Inuyasha muttered to himself.   
  
Looking up, he suddenly realized that the lights in the room were off. Quietly and stealthly, the bandit circled the shrine cautiously, and found that all the other lights were off too. Grining fiendishly, he rubbed his hands together, eager to get to work. In a second, Inuyasha's swift legs had carried him back to the window that he had crouched under for so long. Although he had nearly been caught that night, the jewel thief fervently wished that all girls were like the one at the window earlier that night. If only all girls left windows open! Ah the possiblities! An almost foolish smile spread over his face as Inuyasha nimbly entered through the window.   
  
He was lucky that his night-vision seemed to be almost as perceptive as his sight during the day, since the house was nearly pitch black without any moonbeams streaming through the windows. Inuyasha realized that he was fortunate that the day he had picked to steal the jewel happened to be the moonless night--he could see and not be seen himself. Although he wondered if it was just a coincidence, the bandit let himself believe it was his superior intelligence.   
  
Taking one tentative step forward, he winced as the floor boards creaked slightly. Immediately, Inuyasha froze, straining to hear any possible footsteps. To his relief, the thief heard nothing. He side-stepped the noisy board, turning out of the room and quickly slipping into darker side of the hallway so that his form was was now completely veiled by the shadows. Inuyasha crept down the narrow corridor, glancing into each room briefly before determining that only an idiot would hide a jewel in there.   
  
_Nope. Let's see...porch door, family room--ooo! Nice game system! Wait, focus Inuyasha, you're **not** here to steal a game system, just a jewel that worth ten times more. Ok, continuing...dining room, bathroom--hm...those are cute bunny slippers. Hold it! Did I just say cute? Hunger **must** have affected my brain. Anyway...kitchen, hope...let's check the next room...ah! Practically empty. Now, does this look suspicious or what?_   
  
He stepped through the threshold and into the room, taking note of the fact that it was almost devoid of any furniture except for a small altar placed on an ancient-looking square table in the corner. Feeling his eyes narrow, Inuyasha walked slowly to it, something strange making the tips of his fingers tingle as he placed one hand on the cool wood of the table.   
  
Something...was strange. He could feel it, taste it in the air, smell it lingering around him. Inuyasha frowned, trying his best to locate the source of the disturbance. There. The bandit couldn't really pin point it, but he was certain of it's origin never-the-less. The altar. Kneeling down until he was eye-level with it, the thief noticed that there seemed to be some type of jewelry box door on it. Carefully, his hand trembling slightly for some unfathomable reason Inuyasha couldn't think of, he reached forward and opened one door.   
  
It was something...bright.   
  
Inuyasha felt his eyes widen. Almost mechanically, he opened the other door.   
  
And there it was, more beautiful than he could ever have dreamed.   
  
The jewel. The Shikon no Tama.   
  


[-:-^-:-]

  
  
_"Are you sure, Ms. Higurashi?" The shop owner asked.   
  
The teen before him nodded without any hesitation. "Yes," she replied firmly, "I know it sounds strange, but that's my order."   
  
The man behind the counter grinned. "It's not that it's strange, it's just that we don't get too many orders as simple as yours. Most people who order from us want a fancy vase, a dish, or a chandelier. They all want to seem rich." He sighed, "I wish more people would order something like yours, it'd save us a lot of time and trouble. Before, when people weren't so concerned with making themselves look wealthy, we usually got orders to make simple, everyday items."   
  
The raven haired girl standing on the other side smiled slightly at the compliment, then asked, "When will it be done?"   
  
"It should be finished by tonight, but if you don't have any time later, it would be fine is you came by and pick it up sometime tomorrow." He paused slightly, wondering for a moment if it would appropriate to ask. Finally, he decided it couldn't possibly hurt. "What do you need it for?" The shop-keeper suddenly realized that he had been itching to know why the girl had ordered such a thing.   
  
She seemed to hesitate before answering, choosing her words carefully. The man hope he hadn't offended the customer, they could loose sales if she told her friends and family that he had been rude--it would spread, and his little shop might go bankrupt. But no, the girl was smiling, though he thought he saw some sorrow in it.   
  
"It's...for sentimental reasons," the girl finally answered, turning slightly as she waved and headed out the door. "I'll come by and pick up tomorrow around three o'clock!" She called and was gone, the bells on the door ringing cheerfully to signal her departure. The man was left in behind the counter, still wondering why this young customer had ordered a glass...ball?_   
  


[-:-^-:-]

  
  
He reached out, picked it up, cradled it almost lovingly in his hands. It was beautiful. It had a lovely translucency, it was perfectly smooth with no imperfections, and it would be the end of all those dreams that made his life so wretched. Inuyasha raised it to his lips and kissed it. The bandit knew that soon he would kissing those nightmares away and he grinned at the knowledge. Soon his life would be normal again.   
  
Normal? A voice in the back of his head asked. Normal? Have you every known a normal life, "Inuyasha"? You're self named for Kami's sake, it said in a taunting voice. So, "Inuyasha", you call living on the streets **normal**? You call stealing food **normal**? You think that other people do that and it's considered **normal**? Don't make me laugh. You're pathetic "Inuyasha". Baka!   
  
Inuyasha sighed, pushing aside the taunting voice, determined to hold on to his self-confidense, although it was being ripped away from him by the minute. It wasn't fair. He didn't understand why he couldn't have been born as the girl who lived in this house--not that he wanted to be a girl, but still, it couldn't possibly be worse than his life. Why couldn't he have a nice home, a loving family, and most of all...a future? It wasn't fair. Muttering incoherent words, Inuyasha mentally cursed Kami that he was alive.   
  
Sighing, he turned his attention back to the jewel, and for a moment, he forgot how much he hated himself. It was still as beautiful as it had been a second ago--except no a bright glimmer danced off the smooth surface.   
  
_Wow...it's beautiful in the moonlight,_ thought the bandit to himself as he stood and gazed at it intently for a moment, and then it hit him.   
  
_Wait! What the hell?!? There is no moon tonight!_ From the corner of his eyes, he noticed a beacon of light that hadn't been there before. Inuyasha whirred around to face it, although one corner of his mind screamed for him to run. Why he didn't he had no idea. All he knew was that **he.was.dead.meat.**--and about to be blinded by the flashlight that was very rudely thrust into his face, barely inches from his nose.   
  


---

  
  
Kagome's eyes snapped open as she quickly woke up from her dream. Or at least...it was a dream, right? It felt so real. She had returned to the feudal era, with Sango, Miroku, Shippou, and...him. Inuyasha. In the dream, it was nearly night, and she was making ramen for dinner. As usual, the hanyou was perched on a tree branch overhead, his eyes pealed on the ramen as she boiled the water and poured it into five containers, humming while she stirred it. As soon as she had placed chopsticks by each cup, the dog demon had jumped down, grabbed his portion, and was prepared to dig into his portion when he suddenly froze. Inuyasha had looked up from his meal and stared straight into her eyes. When his golden eyes met hers, Kagome's pulse quickened--the look in his eye was enough for her to melt into a puddle at his [bare--must be smelly. gomen, i couldn't resist that comment] feet. He had smiled slightly, looked down into the noodles before glancing at her again, and, almost sheepishly, whispered, "Thank you...Kagome."   
  
The girl squeezed her eyes shut. That was a stupid dream. Why should she believe that Inuyasha was capable so something like that. The very thought was idiotic. Kagome wouldn't allow herself to fall for him--or, rather, the idea of him.   
  
She sighed longingly, then the teen realized what she had just done and mentally chided herself. _You decided that you were over him. He's your past now. A **friend** in the past, nothing more._ Still, Kagome acknowledge that some of the residue feelings from before were still there.   
  
Sitting up in bed, she listened contentedly to her Grandfather's snoring from the bedroom down the hall. And although Kagome couldn't actually hear it, she could almost feel Souta's peaceful breathing from the room next door. Her mother, the girl knew, was probably asleep right now, curled up alone in her parents' bed, perhaps dreaming of Kagome's father.   
  
Then, in the midst of all these familiar sounds, the young priestess fancied she heard something else. Something that definitely didn't below. A creak--from downstairs. Kagome felt herself beginning to panic. Quickly, she tried to reassure herself that it was only her cat, [could someone tell me her cat's name? I know it's something like...Buyou?] and nothing else, but some part of her mind told her it wasn't. _Inuyasha_, the crazy thought entered her mind, but she squashed it brutally. The girl suddenly stood up, slipped on her fuzzy bunny slippers, grabbed a flashlight, and promptly slipped out the door with a determined air. She would prove that it couldn't be Inuyasha. How could it possibly be? He was in the past, a long time from her own era.   
  
Creeping silently down the stairs, Kagome tiptoed through the hallway, her feet carrying her toward her training room--though she had no idea why. It just seemed like the right place to go. She swallowed and took a deep breath mentally so she wouldn't be heard if there was a person in there--if. Narrowing her eyes, the priestess stepped into the room and clicked on her flashlight. The light hit something, or rather, someone in the room. Kagome's eyes widened in shock, her jaw went slack.   
  
_Oh my god..._   
  
"Inuyasha...?"   
  


---

  
  
Inuyasha waved his hand in front of his face, as if trying to ward off the offending light. The girl--at least he thought it was a girl--didn't. She was staring at him, her mouth hanging open, gaping at him. That annoyed him. He was the one who should be gaping, demanding how in Kami's name she knew **his** name. "Damn it, wench, I'm not a spectacle!" He snapped, then promptly shut his mouth when he realized that wasn't exactly the right thing to say when someone has just caught you red-handed, stealing their jewel.   
  
The girl seemed to regain her senses at his comment, and glared at him with indigo eyes full of malice. "Don't call me wrench, Inuyasha, you baka! You know my name is Kagome! Ka-go-me!" She pronounced it slowly, as if he were slow or something. "What are you doing in my house anyway!? Why aren't you back in your own time?!" She continued, obviously irritated at his presence.   
  
Inuyasha returned her heated gaze with his own, and shot back, "I have no idea what your name is, you stupid girl! Nor do I care what in the seven hells it is! And unless you're blind or somethin', I'm stealin' your GODDAMN JEWEL! And what the hell do you mean by, 'Why aren't you back in your own time?'" The outraged thief demanded.   
  
The girl, Kagome she called herself, faltered. "What do you mean? You **are** Inuyasha, right?" The bandit noticed that she had almost become tentative--almost, for there was still a flame burning in her eyes.   
  
He snorted. "No duh, I am."   
  
"Then what are you doing here, alone? Where's Shippou, Sango, and Miroku? They're ok, right?"   
  
Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Look, you wench, I have absolutely no idea what.you.are.talking.about, ok? Read my lips. N.O.I.D.E.A. You got that?"   
  
Kagome frowned. "But you talk like him, act like, and you even use the same phrases. Plus, you look exactly like him." She began ticking off the points of resemblance. "Let's see...not too much taller than me, golden eyes, white hair, adorable dog ears, fangs, although I can't see them right now, claws, kind of scrawny--"   
  
"What? What! You must be blind! I don't have golden eyes, white hair, or--or--" he sputtered "dog ears, fangs, or claws! What do you think I am, a dog or somethin'?"   
  
She raised her eyebrows. "Actually, the Inuyasha I knew was a hanyou--half dog demon." Kagome noticed his bewildered look and took him by the hand, dragging him into the bathroom. She switched on the lights and pushed him in front of the mirror. Inuyasha screamed.   
  
"What! What? What happened to me?" He touched his ears, made them twitch. He touched his now pure white hair--as white as freshly fallen snow. He bared his teeth, staring at his canine-like fangs. He flexed his razor sharp claws, pressed his right hand claws into his left palm and drew blood. In another minute, the wounds he had inflicted on his palm vanished. Inuyasha held his hands in front of his face, staring at them wordlessly with wide eyes.   
  
"What happened to me?" He asked, turning beseeching eyes to Kagome.   
**[author's notes: there. done. that wasn't exactly a good place to stop, but i have to go and do homework. -sigh- i need to go and study for some tests. anyway, did you have a nice read? if i spelled anything wrong, any corrections, are welcome and greatly appreciated. arigato and ja!]**  
  



	3. Chores and Ramen

**author:chibighost  
  
title: Fukai Mori   
  
disclaimer: characters in Inuyasha don't belong to me. I merely write for my own enjoyment and others who wish to read my fics.**  
  
Domo! -blushes so red that it's scary, and believe me, when I turn red, I mean bright, lobster red- You guys are so nice! It really helped me feel better, I've been kind'a depressed lately. I've been snapping at my friends lately, even though I don't mean it and it made me feel really bad about myself [I think that was because I've been getting B's on all of my tests, grrr...], but...never mind about that. -tears up- i love you people! Anyway, about the story...I just checked [well, I should of checked before I wrote the story, but I'm such a lazy butt] and I noticed how many Inuyasha fics there are with the title "Fukai Mori". Gomen to all those authors before me--I didn't realize it, so I might be changing the title, not sure yet. The reason I decided to call this story "Fukai Mori" was because I found it easy to write while listening to the song.  
  
Kiznaro: thanks! I thought it was Buyo, but I wasn't quite sure  
  
pnut: -grins- you sound a bit like my friend Yaya, [go read her fics, she's lilchibifirefly] she always bursts and goes, "EVIL!". And don't worry, you'll find out...soon. thank you for reviewing both chapters  
  
Angel-Fergie: -huge smile- I'm so glad that you're interested. [breath in, breath out ^-~] yes, let us damn homework together! -strikes an over-dramatic pose- ok, forget about that...I'll just stick to writing  
  
^-^Miko^-^: hey, what more can I say to a review like that? I will do!  
  
Slycat: arigato for your suggestion, and you're definitely right. I do have a tendency to write lengthy and verbose paragraphs, so thanks for reminding me. Believe me, last year it was a lot worse.  
  
GeshronTyler: domo arigato for your review! I agree, I've been seeing an increased number of those fics. Some of the authors are really talented and I love to read and learn from them, but some [very few, mind you]...well...they're so similar...  
  
Ame Tenshi: -grins and scarlets- you people are so nice...it makes me feel bad...-wails-  
  


[these are my little comments]  
  
_words italicized are thoughts_  
  
-these represent the actions of yours truly-  
  
[-:-^-:-]_any paragraph/section between two of these is and italicized is a flashback_[-:-^-:-]  
  
**Fukai Mori : Chapter Three**

  
  
"What happened to me?" He asked, turning beseeching eyes to Kagome.   
  
Unexpectedly, the girl hesitated. She turned her eyes to ground, as if afraid to meet his gaze, and attempted to gather her courage. Then, in a confused tone, she asked, "You mean you...you don't normally look like this?"   
  
Inuyasha looked rather disgusted for a moment. "Nani? Me? Look like this? You must be kidin'!"   
  
The young priestess didn't answer, but merely frowned thoughtfully, wrinkling her forehead in her concentration.   
  
The thief's expression changed from aggravation to outright rage. "So you weren't the one who made me into, what did you say that guy with the same name as me was?"   
  
"He was a hanyou," answered Kagome curtly.   
  
Inuyasha rolled his eyes dismissively, "Right, whatever. Like I could care less about what he was." He pointedly ignored the girl's annoyed glare. "No, duh, I don't normally look like this! I look like…like...a freak! Normally, I look...NORMAL! And you call white hair, dog ears, claws, and fangs, NORMAL!?"   
  
"No, I call them characteristics of someone who's a hanyou," corrected Miss Higurashi.   
  
"Welll, sorry if I don't agree with you stupid, but I call a person who looks the way I do right now a FREAK! I'll see it again, baka, normally, I look normal, and does this strike you the least bit as 'normal'?!?" The hanyou pointed furiously at a certain pair of fuzzy [kawaii!] white ears sitting on the top his head to reinforce this statement.   
  
To his annoyance, the stupid wench actually snorted. "It's normal for a hanyou, like I said before," she stated stubbornly.   
  
"And am I a hanyou? Do I look like a hanyou to you? Do you think I am a hanyou?"   
  
"Of course."   
  
"Ok, lemme tell you something, you stupid girl. DEMONS ARE NOT REAL. I think it's obvious that someone has a mental problem here."   
  
"I do **not** have a mental problem!"   
  
"Well, if ya ask me, you do!"   
  
"Do not!"   
  
"Do too!"   
  
"Do not!"   
  
"Do too!"   
  
"Do not, do not, do not, do not!"   
  
"Do too, do too, do too, do too!"   
  
"Do not, to the googolplex power!"   
  
"Do too, to the...to the...trillionth power!"   
  
"Hah!" Kagome grinned triumphantly. "A googolplex is more than a trillion!"   
  
The glare that the dog demon sent her was enough to freeze the surface of the sun and all the rest of the stars in the universe thrice over. "So what if I haven't had as much school as you have? Ya don't have to rub it in!"   
  
The girl's smile suddenly faded. "Look Inu-kun, I think we're acting really childish here--"   
  
"More you than me," growled the bandit.   
  
Kagome sent him a chilling glance and continued as if she hadn't been interrupted, "--and I think I should explain to you what I think." She cleared her throat dramatically, waiting for him to make some acidic remark. He didn't. Therefore, Kagome spoke, assuming that "dog boy" was listening. "I think...well...since you don't seem to remember anything, and you say that you normally don't look like this...well, I'm not sure about that, but I'm guessing that...well, I'm pretty sure that--"   
  
Inuyasha suddenly cut in, "Just get on with it, wench. I haven't got all day." [or rather, night]   
  
The priestess pointedly ignored him. "--it means that you've been reincarnated." Kagome glanced toward the hanyou. He was turned to her, a look of complete and utter bewilderment etched on his face.   
  
Suddenly, without warning, Inuyasha burst out laughing, managing to gasp out between fits, "That's the--", laughter, "--stupidest thing I've--", more helpless laughter, "--ever--", laughter so hard that he nearly fell over, "--heard! It's so stupid! Who ever heard of reincarnation! Haha!" To Kagome's great annoyance, dog boy doubled over with laughter, clutching his stomach.   
  
"Why--you--! I--!" Kagome stamped her foot impatiently, biting her bottom lip to keep the tears from spilling. _That Inuyasha! He'll never change, even if he's reincarnated a thousands times, not that he deserves it! Ooo! He makes me so mad!_ Glaring daggers at him, the girl instinctively yelled, "SIT!"   
  
Unfortunately for Kagome, she failed to remember that **this** Inuyasha didn't have a rosary around his neck. Therefore, she could yell "sit" as many times as she desired, but it wouldn't produce the satisfying result of seeing the dog demon's face firmly planted in dirt.   
  
But...she was lucky. The ferocity of her order had shocked the poor bandit so much that he had choked in mid-giggle, quickly sat down, and gazed at her in astonishment--reduced to a state of utter obliviousness.   
  
Kagome looked down. Inuyasha looked up. Kagome looked down. Inuyasha looked up. Kagome looked down. Inuyasha looked up. They stared at each other, and the priestess hurriedly turned away, blushing furiously.   
  
_Something in his eyes..._ She thought, placing a hand on her cheek and wincing at how hot it was.   
  
At the same time Kagome looked away, Inuyasha did so too, his face burning scarlet. _Goddamn her eyes,_ he complained miserably to himself, _goddamn Kami for giving her eyes like that..._   
  
Neither moved for the longest time; the tension made the room feel stiff. Finally, the teenage priestess cleared her throat. "Well, I'm guessing that you don't have anywhere to stay, so you can live here for the time being. There's an extra bedroom that you can use..."   
  
Behind her, the thief had come to his senses and Kagome could almost feel him glaring haughtily at her back, or least she heard the haughtiness in his voice. "I never asked to stay here, wrench. I don't need any help. I can make it on my own. I'm leavin' this dump and taking that jewel with me," he proclaimed, although made no move to leave.   
  
"Hmph. Yeah right." Kagome snorted, then added, softer, thinking of all the times that he had saved her life while they were in the feudal era." But everyone needs some help in their life. You can't always depend on yourself...I mean, I would be dead if it weren't for..."   
  
This time it was the bandit's turn to snort. "Riiight," he drawled, but with hardly any argument left in his voice, it seemed he was thinking it over. "Fine," Inuyasha stated, as if he were making some grand decision, "I'll stay in here. And be damn glad that I'm honoring you with my presence."   
  
Kagome turned and a wicked grin suddenly spread across her face, causing Inuyasha to instinctively back up a couple steps, to try to get away from what the priestess was about to say--it was obviously going to be something unpleasant for his health. "Oh don't think you're getting it so cheap, Inuyasha! You're paying rent, you know!"   
  
"Nani!? What dy'a mean!?"   
  
The girl pointed an accusing finger at him. "Nope, you're working for it! For waking me up tonight, you have to do my chores for a week. Also, you'll help Grandpa out while you're living here, that'll be your rent."   
  
"De--demo--!"   
  
"No buts Inuyasha! You're working, and that's it! Also, if you steal, or break one single thing of Grandpa's...I'll...!"   
  
"Huh? What? Chew my ear off?" Finished the dog-eared demon, snorting.   
  
"Well, no...you can find out for yourself...although, I heard that he still has a few...oh warding spells left on some of them that would burn your face off..." Kagome answered innocently.   
  
The thief snorted again. "Why would I care? I bet I could beat up your old Grandpa any time I wanted to. What do you think these are for anyway?" Grinning deviously, Inuyasha placed a claw near Kagome's throat.   
  
The girl sent him a chilling glance that would have frozen the very flames of the inferno. "You wouldn't dare, Inuyasha."   
  
_Damn it,_ the thief thought in amazement--but was careful not to show betray any emotion besides the malicious grin that brought a glint to his golden eyes--_what's this girl made of? I put a claw under her neck and she doesn't flinch! Doesn't she know I can kill with these claws with one swipe? Sheesh, the wrench takes all the fun out of the whole thing!_ Then, the hanyou came up with the best idea, and a slow smile spread across his face.   
  
Kagome took one look at the dog demon; saw a dangerous flicker in his eyes, the grin creeping, and began back away. Inuyasha, however, had other plans. One hand snaked out to grab her by the hand, pulling her to him; the other slipped around her waist, leaving her no chance of escape. The thief gently tilted her chin upward with his free hand until her violet eyes met his, and the hanyou knew that she was trapped with one glance of his golden pools. Slowly, he inched his face closer to hers, until Kagome could feel his hot breath on her lips.   
  
One part of her urged her to run, but the other part was enjoying this, frozen by his golden gaze. Inuyasha gradually closed the distance between them, until finally, the young woman could feel the light graze of his lips on hers. Involuntarily, a shiver ran through Kagome's body and her eyes closed.   
  
Inuyasha suddenly pulled away, turning from her, his shoulders shaking violently. The bewildered priestess stared at his back, reaching out to place a hand on his shoulder in concern. "Inu--Inuyasha? Are...are you ok?"   
  
The hanyou's shoulders only shook harder. Finally, Inuyasha couldn't take it any more, he burst out laughing. "Kami! You should'a seen the look on your face! Hahaha! It was--haha--so funny! I swear I'm going to kill myself--hahaha--laughing! So priceless! Kami that was--" the thief laughed so hard he began choking, pounding his fist on the wooden floor until he accidentally punched a giant hole in it and fell through, still laughing his furry ears off...   
  
Kagome first felt her cheeks burn up, flushing with anger. "INUYASHA, you bastard! I'm going to KILL you!"   
  


---

  
  
Inuyasha grumbled as he pounded the last nail in place. It wasn't fair. So what if he made fun of her? Screw it. Hell, screw it all! Picking out the left over wood, nails, and tools, the bandit marched angrily out of Kagome's training room and outside to the shed, where he dumped everything from his arms.   
  
That...bitch! How dare she blackmail him into doing her chores? How dare she use him so that she could do--of all stupid girl things--shop? A growl rumbled in his throat at the very thought of her. Knowing her, she was probably eating ice cream or something, and he was stuck patching the stupid floor in her stupid room. _Kagome...!_ He thought viciously, blissfully picturing himself tearing her to threads with those handy claws of his.   
  
Speaking of the priestess...   
  
Kagome suddenly appeared in front of him, smiling sickly sweet. "Oh Inu-chan!" She called, batting her eyelashes. "How are you doing on the chores? Did you fix the boards in my training room yet? You made such a frightfully big hole last night, you know!"   
  
The hanyou glared at her.   
  
"Now, that you're done, Inu, you can water the flowers, trim the bushes, remove some of those large branches over there, organize the shed, wash the car, fix my bike, oh, and if you have time, go help Grandpa, would you? Arigato, Inu-dear!" Waving, the teen slipped into the house, carrying a bulging shopping bag in her hand.   
  
_Probably clothes,_ thought the dog demon sulkily as he stuck into his head shed to find the water can. Carrying it out to the faucet, he was about to fill it with water when he happened to notice the smell coming from it--it was so strong it nearly knocked his now sensitive demon nose senseless. It smelled like rat...excretions. Holding his nose, Inuyasha began cleaning the watering can. "Kuso! Damn her, stupid wench."   
  
A black head stuck out from a window in the second floor directly above him. "Don't be silly, Inuyasha. You don't want me to have to tell my mom and the police that you're a wanted criminal instead of the nice, friendly, exchange boy from school, do you?"   
  
Muttering a few choice words under his breath that should not be mentioned in something as notable as this story [yeah right], Inuyasha ignored her. It seemed as if he had no choice. Besides, he still wanted that jewel, and he'd do anything to get it, even if it meant putting up with someone as annoying as _her_.   
  


---

  
  
Kagome plopped onto her bed, locking her hands behind her head. This was the life. Ordering Inuyasha around, revenge for all those times in the feudal era, gave her a contented feeling. The suddenly appearance of a reincarnated Inuyasha had given the now older, and more mature, Kagome new thoughts. She wondered if Inuyasha was reincarnated, then maybe Sango, Miroku, or Shippou...the priestess-in-training wondered what happened to them. Maybe they were...maybe they had also...? Shaking her head, the Higurashi tried not to get herself too excited. Besides, she had just checked her school directory that morning and found no one who could have been one of her three friends. Still...like the hanyou, they could be father away, maybe even living in another country. Just the thought made Kagome want to jump up and go on a mad search to find them, but she shoved this thought out of her mind. Besides, just because Inuyasha had been reincarnated didn't mean that the rest of their little traveling group did too.   
  
Sighing, she sat up, and walked out of her room. Kagome found herself in the kitchen a minute later, holding the boxes of ramen she had bought--for no particular reason, of course--and stirring it idly with a pair of chopsticks. _Oh, well. Might as well make him something he likes. I **was** kind of mean to him, after all._   
  
Turning, Kagome saw the hanyou passing the door, apparently heading to fix her bike. Sticking her head out into the hallway, she called to his retreating figure, "Inuyasha, how about some lunch?"   
  
He paused in mid-step, his posture stiffening slightly. "No thanks," Inuyasha muttered, "I'm not hungry." As if to confirm this statement, his ever-rebellious stomach grumbled and the inu-demon grimaced.   
  
The young woman rolled her eyes. "Riiight. Come on, I thought you liked ramen!"   
  
Inuyasha's ears immediately perked at the word "ramen", and he was obviously itching to stuff his face full of the noodles, [they're ok, personally] but trying to make an effort not to seem too eager--if his ever-twitching ears were any hint. Slowly, in a defeated manner, he turned. "Fine, wench. I'll eat your ramen." Saying so, he strided wordlessly past her, grabbed the nearest bowl, and began shoveling noodles down his throat with a speed that made it seem like he hadn't eaten for months.   
  
Kagome stared at him, surprised and somewhat impressed, as Inuyasha finished his share and moved on to the her bowl too, devouring its contents within seconds. She shook her head in exasperation. Inuyasha and his stupid pride. If he had been so hungry, he should have said something.   
  
The hanyou abruptly stopped in mid-slurp. Regarding her suspiciously, Inuyasha glared at her for a moment, then sucked the rest of the noodle that had been sticking out of his mouth. "How did you know I liked ramen, anyway? You didn't poison it, wench? 'Cus if you did--"   
  
The girl returned his glance. "Don't worry, Inuyasha." Kagome suddenly smirked. "Anyway, even if there were, you already ate so much that you would've been dead by now." The poor half-demon choked in surprise. "Don't worry, I wouldn't dream of it, Inu-chan!" Not able to resist, the priestess flashed him a charming smile as she swept out the door, leaving a fuming and annoyed Inuyasha who had already resumed eating.   
  


---

  
  
A determined Inuyasha stomped down the hall. He didn't know why he was doing this, but he felt almost guilty somehow. Sighing, the hanyou stopped before the sliding door of Kagome's training room. He figured she'd be in there. Swallowing the last of his pride, the former bandit slid open the screen and stepped across the threshold. What he saw blew his mind away and made him lost for words.   
  


~[x-until the next chapter-x]~

  
  
[author's note: well...I did write more, but being the evil person I am...-bwahahaha!- I decided to wait a bit before releasing the next chapter. ^-^ Okay, anyway, I'm trying to decide right now whether or not to include the rest of the gang...it'd certainty be more interesting and I'm pretty sure that I will...but I'd like to get some opinions first!]   
  


~THINGS NOT MEANT TO BE READ BY READERS~

  
  
author: Let's examine the sentence, 'The hanyou pointed furiously at a certain pair of fuzzy [kawaii!] white ears sitting on the top his his head to reinforce this statement' -beams-   
  
inu: "kawaii"? "Kawaii?!?" since when were my ears "kawaii?"   
  
kagome: -big grin- since...forever!   
  
author: right! it's your...trademark. the very essence of your "inuyasha-ness"   
  
kagome: -.- there's something called "inuyasha-ness"? kami how sad...   
  
author: don't worry, i believe there's something called "kagome-ness" too, so don't feel left out!   
  
kagome: why would i feel left out? -.- inuyasha's the jerk   
  
author: ^-^;;; dunno...just in case you do...don't!   
  
inu: i swear that didn't just make sense...   
  
author: yes it did, you big meany!   
  
inu: -looks indignant- since when was i mean?   
  
author & kagome: -.-;;; since...forever   
  
inu: i don't know **what** you're talking about!   
  
kagome: riiight! -raspberry-   
  
author: -sticks tongue out-   
  
inu: if you two keep that up, i'll...claw your eyes out!   
  
author: yeah and i'll have my goldfish...er...scare you out of your mind with his insanely fat body?   
  
inu: don't make me laugh, sucker. besides, i'll just have kag's stupid cat eat him up! hah!   
  
author: -glare- don't make me kill you in the next chapter...   
  
inu: i don't care.   
  
author: i'll have Sesshy come and make you look stupid   
  
shippou: he's already stupid! -adorable kitsune grin-   
  
author: Shippou!? what are you doing here? you're not supposed to appear yet!   
  
shippou: i just came to visit Kagome!   
  
kagome: -grins- shippou! -huggles-   
  
author: how kawaii!   
  
inu: i think i'm getting a hairball -gags-   
  
author: you baka! only cats get hairballs. you're a dog for god's sake   
  
inu: that doesn't mean i can't get a hairball!   
  
shippou: yes it does!   
  
inu: -glare- hmph! go away you stupid kitsune! you heard the author, you're not supposed to appear yet -finally notices something- hey! wait'a minute! the author's writing this conversation down! kuso! get back here!   
  
author: -runs off, cackling insanely-   
  



	4. An Argument

**author:chibighost  
  
title: Fukai Mori   
  
disclaimer: characters in Inuyasha don't belong to me. I merely write for my own enjoyment and others who wish to read my fics.**  
  
[eep! gomenasai! ^-^;;; i've been rather...busy lately. ok, really busy. i'm supposed to be researching topography, editing my essay for this Learning Links thingy, and working on original writings for my literary portfolio...which i'm obviously not doing right now. anyway, i was also really worried about my final...that is, until my Latin teacher told us that if we didn't know any vocabulary on the test, he'd tell us. -.-;;; my god, what's the point of taking the damn final then? might as well stay home. but he's a really good teacher so none of us will probably need to ask him anyway. still, he's about sixty years olds, but kami-sama, he has the energy of a...of a...scarily healthy thirty year old! oh well, i don't think he'll be retiring any time soon. ok, back to the fic: i finally decided to get back to writing Fukai Mori. i'm also writing three other original stories (one with three friends of mine), but i'm not putting them up--they'll just stay in their notebooks, unless i decide otherwise. okay, i'm rambling again...so let's get on to the fourth chapter!]  
  


[these are my little comments]  
  
_words italicized are thoughts_  
  
-these represent the actions of yours truly-  
  
[-:-^-:-]_any paragraph/section between two of these is and italicized is a flashback_[-:-^-:-]  
  
**Fukai Mori : Chapter Four**

  
  
Inuyasha fled down the hallway, mentally berating himself for making such a fool of himself in front of Kagome. Why the hell had he become so...tongue-tied all of the sudden? What was about her that made him speechless whenever she happened to show that kind, friendly, cheerful, side? Why was he so weak, so that a **girl** of all things made him feel so helpless? Curse it all.   
  
Breathing heavily, the hanyou slid open the door to the room **she** had assigned to him, slamming the screen so hard that it practically fell off--not that **she'd** care, after all, **she'd ** just have him fix it himself rather than have to pay for some handyman. [did you get what i meant there? oh never mind] Closing his eyes, he tried not to remember how stupid he was back **there**...in **that** room...with **her**...  
  


[-:-^-:-]

  
  
_Kagome sat in the middle of the room, eyes closed, the candle on the ground casting strange shadows across her face, her raven tresses stirred lightly by the zephyr that blew through the open window. __She looks so...sad,_ came the first thought to Inuyasha's befuddled mind as he stared breath-taken at her. The shadows danced across her face as the breeze caused the flame to flicker, giving her serene beauty a mysterious air.   
  
Inuyasha took a sharp intake of breath, jolting Kagome out of her meditative state. She looked up in surprise at the half-demon, but her look of confusion soon changed to that of a pleasant smile. "Hi Inuyasha," the priestess greeted cheerfully as she stood up, dusting herself off.   
  
The hanyou gulped nervously, the words he had meant to say slipping from his mind and out of his grasp. Instead of the, "Thank you for the ramen, Kagome", he had meant to say, out popped, "Spank you full of rainin', Cangome."   
  
The young priestess stared at him. "Spank me full of rainin'? Cangome? Um...Inuyasha, are you **sure** I didn't accidentally put something in that ramen? I mean...maybe I--"   
  
Poor Inuyasha's face turned red with mortification when he realized what he'd just blurted out. Hurriedly, the former thief cut in, "I mean...well..." he paused, taking a deep breath and staring at the floor boards he had replaced like they were the most interesting pieces of wood he'd ever seen in his life. Finally tearing his eyes away, the inu-demon looked up to find Kagome waiting for him to speak, a very bewildered and concerned expression in her expressive eyes.   
  
"Anyway, what I mean to say is, thanks for the food--the ramen, you know. I...ah...haven't had anything to eat for...some time..." He finished lamely, awkwardly swinging his arms and clasping his hands together in front of him, once again fascinated by the wood floor, nose twitching slightly at fragrant smell his now sensitive nose was picking up from the girl before him. Concentrating on the designs that the wood grains made, the inu-demon tried desperately to ignore the fact that the source of the wonderful smell was easily within arm's reach.   
  
Kagome smiled warmly. "You're welcome, Inuyasha. If you were so hungry, you should've told me." She cocked her head in thoughtfully, eyes glimmering with amusement at his sudden awkwardness. Carelessly, the girl flicked away some offending strands of hair away from her face, sending the strawberry smell of her shampoo in the direction of the thief--oblivious to what her actions were doing to the nervous wreck that was Inuyasha.   
  
The hanyou backed dizzily away from the priestess. This was about all he could take; he couldn't stand it much longer. The few threads of sanity left in Inuyasha's mind told him to get the hell out of there before he could say or do anything he'd seriously regret later. Frantically, he abruptly turned tail and fled out of the room, the footsteps thumping against the wooden floor as he raced down the hallway.   
  


[-:-^-:-]

  
  
Poking his head out of the door, Inuyasha was nearly blinded by the unexpected burst of sunlight in the hallway in a rushing tide. Muttering his favored creative expression of, "Kuso!", the half demon sauntered down the floor, the familiarity of the hallway bring the unwanted memories of the previous night. Determined, he imagined them to be a puny little bug and squashed them ruthlessly in his mind. Chuckling evilly to himself and pleased with the brutality of his early-morning thoughts, the hanyou made his way to the kitchen, his feet and stomach clearly conspiring to ruin him, for, lo and behold, at the table, both spooning cereal into open mouths at a furious pace, sat a little boy and...   
  
Forgetting his complaining stomach, Inuyasha made a desperate attempt to flee, but his bare feet stopped in mid-stride when the little boy sitting next to _her_ piped up, "Hey, Kagome, is that...Inuyasha?" Obviously excited, the boy slid out of his chair and came over to the frozen inu-demon, preceding to examine him thoroughly, even reaching up to poke at his ears and jab at him.   
  
"Hey kid, I'm not a side show freak at some circus so leave me alone, or I'll bite your head off!" The hanyou barked indignantly, withdrawing into the hallway, putting one hand over each ear as if to protect them from the boy's prodding fingers and baring his teeth at the same time.   
  
Unfortunately, the kid didn't even seem the least frazzled. Instead, grinning, he turned to _her_ , evidently pleased. "It is Inuyasha!" He announced, before turning back to the annoyed inu-demon. "What'cha doing back here, Inuyasha?"   
  
Before the hanyou could spit out some acidic remark that the boy would have no idea of the meaning, a gentle hand was lain on his shoulder. "My, is this...could it be...Inuyasha?" While the half demon sputtered again, he was abruptly spun around and a middle-aged woman embraced him like a mother would a son. When she finally let go, Inuyasha rubbed his aching ribs, aware that _someone_ was laughing at them. _Feh,_ he thought, _let her laugh. What do I care._ Unhappily, the former bandit eyed the woman with undisguised distaste, but she took no notice.   
  
Beaming, she smiled. "Inuyasha, it's wonderful to see you again. You didn't come through the Bone Eaters Well, did you? No, you probably didn't. But anyway, it's so good to see you! My, you've grown..." she eyed him for a moment, "you've grown tremendously." She paused, whether to take a breath or think up more topics to bore him out of his mind, Inuyasha didn't know, but he was relieved when she said instead, "Oh I'm sorry, Inuyasha, you must have come to visit Kagome! You two are probably desperate to talk to each other right now, so I'll just leave you." Mrs. Higurashi suddenly paused, talking to herself, "I wonder what happened to that exchange student Kagome was talking about...she couldn't have meant you, could she?" Met with Inuyasha's blank stare, she assumed that he wasn't the exchange student and the motherly woman promptly left, announcing that she had to do the laundry and for Kagome come back quickly after school. Then with one last wave and a special encouraging smile for Inuyasha, Mrs. Higurashi disappeared down the hallway.   
  


---

  
  
Half dragging the reluctant hanyou behind her, Kagome felt the last of her patience giving way. Turning abruptly, the priestess regarded the former vagabond with a glare, but the demon was determinedly not meeting her gaze. Sighing a aggravated sigh, Kagome stomped behind Inuyasha and pushed him with all her might. The hanyou didn't budge an inch.   
  
"Inuyasha! Can't you see that you're going to get us both late? And yes, you are coming with me, whether or not you look like that." She barked rather harshly, trying to shove him forward. Silence. _He might as well be on another planet,_ thought Kagome sullenly as she eyed him with a dark glare. Though thoroughly exhausted with her little episode of pushing and shoving, the raven haired girl stood on her tiptoes, still managing to summon up the energy to shout "INUYASHA!" into the furry white ears of the everyone's favorite half-demon--evident extremely startled.   
  
No, make that extremely startled _and_ furious beyond imagination. Immediately, he clamped a hand over the abused ear, the other clawed fingers tentatively rubbing his now throbbing head. "Damn it, wench!" Inuyasha shouted, making no effort to hide the savage anger in his voice, "What the HELL did you hav'ta do that for?"   
  
Kagome raised an eyebrow. "Well, first of all, you were ignoring me. Second, you're going to make us both late, and third, you were annoying me to the point of insanity." Noticing the triumphant smile that was flitting on Inuyasha's face, she asked--or rather demanded--"What?"   
  
The hanyou faced her smugly. "Well, at least I achieved one of my goals. Besides, you're so stupid, you aren't worth my time. Ja! Have fun with your school." With this, Inuyasha dropped the backpack full of books, paper, and pencils that Kagome had prepared for him on the ground with disdain and turned to go.   
  
The priestess watched as he began traveling down the path, into the forest beside the shrine. She made no move to stop him, instead watched his retreating figure, ignorant to everything around her. Kagome remembered that she had once wondered what Inuyasha would look like acting and dressing like the people in her time, and now there was the half demon, dressed in the baggy jeans and navy blue t-shirt that she had bought he yesterday, a backwards baseball hat perched on his long white hair. There was the half demon, waltzing out like he owned the place.   
  
Involuntarily, Kagome's teeth clenched. He was part of her world now, she had established that fact. He wasn't the Inuyasha she had known two years ago. However, the cynical part of him remained. Kagome surmised that the only reason that Inuyasha's personality was still recognizable as his was because the old Inuyasha had grown up hated and despised, and, from what she had seen, this Inuyasha had experienced relatively the same treatment. At this thought, Kagome felt sympathetic to the poor fuzzy eared half demon. She was probably treating him like everyone else had treated him in his life. _Poor Inuyasha..._, she thought, before remembering that Inuyasha's new demon nose--though only half the strength of a pure-blooded demon--was just as acute and precise when it came to deciphering emotions. Hurriedly, the priestess tried to think deep, passionately hateful thoughts, trying desperately to work herself into a fury. _Okay, think...Inuyasha peeking while I was taking a bath, being mean and insensitive, beating up Shippou...ano...damn it! I've got the passion all right_. Kagome scolded herself, an image of a sleeping Inuyasha, peaceful and serene, having popped into her mind. She felt her cheeks starting to burn. _Not good._   
  
It didn't matter, it was too late. In mid stride, the half demon in mind stopped and froze, turning to regard Kagome thoughtfully. Unnoticed by the nervous priestess, something strange flickered briefly in his golden eyes. Forgiveness? Well, as Inuyasha would say, feh. And how correct an analysis of himself, for Inuyasha had never forgave anyone in his life, ever. But...they do say that there is a first time for everything.   
  


~[x-until the next chapter-x]~

  
  
SilverStarWing: domo arigato! ^____^   
  
vanessa St. Cloud: eh? i never fancied myself a romantic...but thanks anyway!   
  
Reality: ^^;;; the rest of the story is stuck somewhere within the labyrinth that is my brain and struggling to get out, but trust me, it will eventually!   
  
pnut: i bet you couldn't tell, but i'm a giant fan of kagome/fluffy fics ^-^ and don't worry, if i see a giant goldfish, i'll run for it.   
  
starmoon: i've said it once, but i'll say it again: i love you people! T.T [[oh yeah, i kind'a like 'feh' too]]   
  
Jacie: well, here's your answer. admittedly, i've never written...er...a [for lack of a better term] love seen before...so yeah...but anyway, inu-kun probably looks really funny dazed   
  
Angel-Fergie: i'm supposed to be doing some english homework of my own right now...eek...but thanks! ^-^ i have this...irresistible urge to huge something right now because of your comment...not the com though...i hate it's guts. i mean, uh...wires...and silicon chips?   
  
tsunami-chan: yeah, i figured. that's why i did of course. ^____^ this was a short chapter though...   
  
reynamangga: i dunno...sango and miroku...kouga...who knows? they might just "pop out of the ground, like dasies!" ~[to quote from Mulan--ever watch the movie? you should. ^^]   
  
[[no "THINGS NOT MEANT TO BE READ BY READERS THIS TIME", maybe if people are really interested in reading them]]  
  



	5. AN:Important

  
First of all, I'd like to apologize for taking so long...it's not my style; however, I've been rather preoccupied with tennis, physics, and annoying summer school P.E. XP Anyway, I promise that the next chapter will be done pretty soon, and I think I have a rough outline of the plot, I'm still running it through my head and I should be writing chapters relatively quickly--tennis permitting. [[I always imagine it as if I'm watching a movie first]]   


  
Now, I have need to know everyone's opinions on two matters:   


1. Should I include everyone's favorite taiyoukai? Should this also be a part Kagome/Sesshy fic? [[don't we all like to see Fluffy annoying the heck out of Inu-chan? ^__^ Jealousy between brothers is always interesting, ne?]] So please send in your comments! I'd like to see what everyone thinks before I post the next chapter--which I'm almost done with, but could change depending on the feedback that I get.   


2. Should I write a rin/sesshy fic based on Jane Eyre? If you don't know about the book, Jane Eyre is about a girl--her name is Jane Eyre, big surprise there--with spunk in 1800 England. Her employer...kinda looks down on women, and they...don't get along very well at first. In fact, they kinda...argue. ^__^;;; Nice and fluffy, ne? (did I mention that her employer is old enough to be her father? And…at first, he only talks to her for his own personal entertainment? uh huh!) Of course, it could also be a kagome/sesshy fic [my personal favorite ^___^]] It all depends!   
  
So, send in your opinions, okay? I'll be grateful if ya do! Domo arigato!  


  


...always: chibighost. 


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